Finland Produces Less
Energy from Wind than Vietnam!
Finland is a progressive modern country that excels in
promoting equality, social welfare, and public health.
Unfortunately one area where Finland has undertaken not so progressive
policies is in renewable energy.
In wind power, Finland does not even appear in the GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) 2011 study of installed wind power per million people. The middle income Asian country of Vietnam even has more wind power installed per capita than Finland. Finland’s Nordic neighbors of Sweden and Denmark have embraced wind as a power source and are leading the pack with Denmark ranked first and Sweden sixth. The burning question is why does Finland not do more to enable wind power when it has the same natural endowment as Sweden and Denmark, strong and constant coastal winds?
In wind power, Finland does not even appear in the GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) 2011 study of installed wind power per million people. The middle income Asian country of Vietnam even has more wind power installed per capita than Finland. Finland’s Nordic neighbors of Sweden and Denmark have embraced wind as a power source and are leading the pack with Denmark ranked first and Sweden sixth. The burning question is why does Finland not do more to enable wind power when it has the same natural endowment as Sweden and Denmark, strong and constant coastal winds?
According to an EU
study on keeping on track with EU renewable energy targets. Finland needs work especially in
the area of subsidies for private consumers in developing renewable energy from
solar and wind sources. The study also
reports that some onshore wind power projects have been blocked by the Finnish Air
Force due to defense radar interference.
Modifications to the radars can be made but this requires extra
government expense.
This is not to say that Finland does not deserve recognition
for their progress in renewable energy.
A recent YLE
article touts Finland as ranked third in renewable energy use of all of the
EU. This is true according the EU source
cited in the article of EU statistics of Share
of Renewable Energy in Gross Final Consumption however when you look at the
breakdown of electricity production, Finland still has much work to accomplish.
As you see in this graph
from Statistics Finland for energy production in 2012 renewables made up an
impressive share of electricity use of 41%.
Most of this has come from hydropower, and biofuels from wood, peat and
black liquor (a byproduct in paper pulp production). I would submit that biofuels are less
preferable to other renewables such as sun and wind because they are less carbon
neutral: they must be burned to produce energy.
Also, black liquor depends on the paper industry which is vulnerable to
price fluctuations in paper. Therefore
the Finnish government should support more renewable power from wind, a natural
resource it has in abundance, especially in the coastal areas of Finland and in the North tundra.
Instead of recognizing this potential for wind power, plans
for a new nuclear power plant have been recently approved and the subsidies for
wind power are on the cutting
list of the new government according to the Finnish Wind Power Association. This
will make wind produced energy much less competitive on the electricity market.
My point here in renewable energy production is that a heavy
reliance on biofuels is not a good long term solution. Biofuels produce more emissions when they are
burned which is still causing climate change.
Finland must adopt more progressive policies toward wind power, its
greatest potential in renewable energy.
At least Finland could modify its defense radar systems in order to
enable more onshore wind parks.
More to follow on these topics. Thank you for your attention. All comments and evidence based arguments are welcome.
